Coffee - what a pleasure!

The history of associating drinking coffee with social pleasure was known about as long ago as the 14th century, when Arabian coffee drinkers went to coffee houses especially for the pleasure of drinking coffee. The first coffee houses were opened in Mecca and were called 'kaveh kanes'. They quickly spread throughout the Arab world and became successful places where chess and backgammon were played, gossip was exchanged, and singing, dancing and music were enjoyed. Nothing quite like the coffee house had existed before: a place where society and business could be conducted in comfortable surroundings and where anyone could go, for the price of a coffee

Coffee beans came to Europe (Venice) in the mid 17th century and coffee houses spread rapidly across both continental Europe and the British Isles. As in Arabia in the14th century, these coffee houses, especially in London, quickly became the established meeting places of insurance brokers (Lloyd's), politicians, philosophers and book dealers. The opening of the first American coffee house in Boston followed in 1689.

It is understandable why the number of coffee houses grew so quickly following the introduction of coffee, especially when we see the pleasurable effect that coffee drinking has on social interaction, conversation and debate.

But what is the nature of pleasure?

For many years, behaviourists (1) believed that pleasure was an irrelevant concept, but as more biological factors such as a pleasure receptor were discovered (2), psychologists increasingly sought to explain pleasure by way of reward (3). However, focusing just on the principles of behaviourism does not seem to fit in with the way coffee, in coffee shops and bars, has been used socially for the last 450 or more years. The human reward system certainly does respond to the administration of caffeine, but for true psychological stimulation and pleasure, it is a cup of coffee that is needed. In fact, it would be an odd hedonist who found pleasure in a cup of caffeine sulphate and warm water! (4).

The existence of different types of coffee bean from South America, Africa, India, the Middle East and North America, together with the rituals of roasting, grinding and serving, highlights the contribution of our senses in giving us our perceived pleasure of drinking coffee. What we see, smell and taste all contribute to making the satisfaction of drinking coffee an experience where the total effect is often far greater than the sum of the component parts. Add to these sensory judgements our previous enjoyment of the drink, and therefore our expectations, and it is not difficult to appreciate how we may find such wide ranging reaction among our friends and colleagues to a similar solution of caffeine!

Pleasure v. Stress?

Pleasure is one of the main antidotes to boredom. It is an activity that helps reduce the stress and anxiety which is a necessary feature of everyday activities (5). It is now believed that pleasure plays a significant role in producing a healthy immune system (6). Stress produces a rise in blood levels of the hormone, cortisol, which causes individuals to feel distressed and helpless with worry whereas satisfying and happy events lead to a decrease in the blood concentrations of cortisol (7). It is well established that caffeine consumption can enhance overall alertness, reduce tiredness and fatigue, and improve human memory and recognition (8). Drinking a cup of coffee is therefore helpful in counteracting sleepiness during the day and also mental sluggishness, brought about by prolonged concentration and mental effort, such as in a repetitive job.

More importantly, caffeine has been shown to induce a positive effect (9) and it is this ability to lift an individual's mood that makes coffee an important source of pleasurable activity and individual happiness. It has long been recognised (10) that our appreciation and assessment of our own happiness reflects our overall quality of life. In short, the happier we are, the more our daily life is perceived as satisfying and free from stress.

Coffee promotes social interaction

Coffee raises mood, improves our concentration and may even promote the well-being of the immune system, so enhancing our ability to cope not only with life, but to enjoy it. Coffee can also be seen as one of those natural products, which promotes well being and perceived quality of life, without the adverse effects on behaviour, the loss of self-control and intoxication that is often associated with the use of other social agents, such as alcohol.

So it is easy to understand the rapid growth of the coffee house throughout Europe and elsewhere following the introduction of coffee beans to Venice in 1625. Coffee not only gives us an increased sense of pleasure, and enjoyment of life, but this in turn makes us more than ready to indulge in that most human of activities – social interaction – the sharing of experiences, and the simple but enduring pleasure of enjoying each other's company and conversation.

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